Is Grinding My Teeth That Big Of A Deal?

Is Grinding My Teeth That Big Of A Deal?

Posted August 7, 2018by7 Day Dental Center

The habitual grinding of teeth is known as bruxism. It typically happens involuntarily during the sleep. Signs that you may be grinding your teeth are waking up with headaches or soreness in the jaw and teeth, clenching your jaw throughout the day, or an increased sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods. Bruxism can be problematic for your smile by weakening your teeth and overworking your jaw. Your dentist in Fort Worth, Texas can help restore any damage caused by teeth-grinding and help prevent it from causing any more.

Lead to Sensitivity, Decay, Damage

Tooth enamel ranks at about a 5 on Mohs hardness scale, which is a scale created by a mineralogist to measure the ability of one mineral to scratch another. The scale runs from 1 to 10 with talc at the bottom and diamond at the top. All this is to say that your teeth are pretty hard and durable. The friction from teeth grinding against each other can be powerful. Over time, nightly grinding can take its toll on the teeth leaving microscopic cracks that can leave the teeth susceptible to tooth decay and breakage. These tiny cracks can also make the teeth more sensitive. Allowing bruxism to go unchecked can point your teeth in danger.

Increased Risk of Jaw Malfunction

The wear-and-tear caused by grinding does not only affect your teeth. The joints of your jaw take on the brunt of the exertion. The clenching and the strain on your jaw can lead to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder. This disorder involves any malfunction of the jaw and it can include chronic pain, soreness in the face, neck, and shoulders, popping and locking of the jaw, and frequent headaches. A misalignment of the teeth or ridges of the jaw could be the reason for bruxism and it can also lead to TMJ disorder.

Do you grind your teeth at night?

Chronic grinding of your teeth can lead to oral health problems. To schedule a consultation, call the 7Day Dental office closest to you! Our offices are located in Fort Worth, TX, at 817-405-2001 on Jacksboro Highway, or at 817-405-0195 on Seminary Drive. Our Benbrook office is now open, call 817-349-7860.